Business and story go hand-in-hand! Really? Well…okay, not really so much. Which is why I was pleasantly surprised by the incredible interweaving of not only business, but also life principles into The Legend of the Monk and the Merchant. Terry Felber does a superb job of making foundational principles business come alive through the eyes of a young man learning at the feet of his grandfather. As Joshua Harris’ dad once taught him, find someone who you would like to emulate and sit at their feet.

For those who are looking to understand Biblical business principles just a little bit better, this is a great place to start. It’s foreword is by David Ramsey – who may just know a thing or two about business. It’s an age-old concept of taking sound philosophy and representing it through the medium of story. Hey, if Jesus used parable as a model, why not emulate that? His feet seem like a pretty good place to start.

My only regret with Monk and the Merchant is that I didn’t read it in time share with my high school Economics class. This is the type of book that they could take and use for many years to come, whether they’re looking to open a small business themselves or not. It takes principles we could’ve covered in a big, boring textbook, and condenses them so even the least business-savvy of us can understand. It’s basically Business for Dummies, but without being so demeaning.

We are a people of the story. It penetrates the fiber of almost every aspect of our culture. So why not business? It’s easy to understand, but not too simple to not be applicable. Basically, the type of book that I’d give my son someday. And that’s what we are looking for right – just as Antonio passes his wisdom onto his grandson. It’s a right of passage that I would highly recommend!

This book was provided to read and review by Thomas Nelson Publishing. I don’t have to give it a positive review. It’s just that good.